Postdoctoral Research Associate in Exoplanets

Department: School of Physical and Chemical Sciences
Salary: £38,165 - £49,785 per annum (Grade 5)
Reference: 819
Location: Mile End
Date posted: 22 January 2024
Closing date: 25 February 2024

Further details and apply

About the Role

The is a full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate post that will work with Dr Edward Gillen on the detection and characterization of young transiting exoplanets using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS; https://tess.mit.edu/ ) and the Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS; https://ngtransits.org/ ). The position is supported by both European Research Council (ERC) and UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) grants.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the detection and characterization of young transiting planets with TESS and NGTS. They will be expected to lead or contribute to one or more of the following areas: (i) detecting new transiting planets, (ii) vetting and confirming planet candidates via follow-up observations and assessment of their host stars, and (iii) detailed characterization of young planets, e.g. measuring their masses, orbital obliquities and/or atmospheric mass loss rates. 

About You

Applicants should have, or be close to completing, a PhD in Astronomy/Astrophysics or a closely-related discipline, and have a history of publications and oral/poster presentations commensurate with their career stage. Experience in exoplanet or stellar research and in data analysis (all broadly defined), is desirable but not essential, and applicants with a wide range of skills will be considered. Applications from members of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy are very much welcomed.

About the School

This position is based in the Astronomy Unit  within Department of Physics & Astronomy, which hosts world-leading research groups in exoplanets, planetary science, space plasma physics and cosmology. The exoplanet group within the Astronomy Unit boasts two recently-awarded ERC grants, as well as a new Lecturer soon to arrive, so will be significantly expanding over the next 5 years.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities including an on-site nursery at the Mile End campus.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

Applications must include a CV, publication list, and research statement (2-3 pages). These should be joined as a single PDF document and upload as your “CV” in our on-line application system. The research statement should include relevant past and current research, highlight how your skills and experience match the role, and include proposed independent research to be undertaken alongside the main goals of the position. 

Further details and apply